Bed Fellows
by eternallydaydreaming
Summary: A restless night and fears of traversing war torn roads, Prompto seeks comfort in his best friend's arms.
1. Bed Fellows

Who knew one man snores could induce earthquakes? Laying on his side, Prompto counted the cracks in the dry wall hoping the repetitive action would eventually pull his eyelids down, casting the curtains of sleep. However, with every inhale Gladio took, the floor boards rattled from the immense vibrations.

 _Stupid rock, paper, scissors_ , Prompto complained though with no one to complain to.

Luck was never a friend of his, and she proved him right that night. While Prompto understood that they had to keep a low profile it would have been great if King Regis had given them just a bit more funds for a decent hotel and not this run down shithole somehow classified as a motel. The heater didn't even work. The desert weather of Longwythe was deceptive as hell – hot in the day, frigid at night – and the bare floors clung to the cold. Prompto rolled over to his stomach and observed Ignis sprawled over the couch, his legs extending over the armrest. Propping himself up on his elbow, jealous eyes roamed over Noctis's sleeping form – the winner of the bed. Oh the gloating that resulted when him clenched the victory in the game of chance. Round two was for the couch, which was the only other thing that contained soft cushions. The little full sized bed was not accommodating for a second person, especially with Noctis's habit of extending his limbs out to occupy the fill width of the mattress.

Another round of deep snorts tugged on Prompto's last nerves. The larger man was lucky Prompto didn't try to smother him. Even though Noctis had the reputation to sleep through anything, including the apocalypse, Prompto was unsure how the ever vigilant Ignis was not disturbed by the noise.

 _I'm not gonna to get any sleep like this._

Furrowing his eyebrows, Prompto gathered up his pillow and marched to the side of the bed.

"Noct," he whispered while gently pushing on Noctis's shoulder. Nothing. Suppressing his disappointed whimper, Prompto nudged him again. "Noct?"

"Mmm," he managed to respond.

"I can't sleep," Prompto whined softly, fearing of arousing either of the crownsguards, especially Gladio. The big brute had a way of overreacting to situations. Though being charged with guarding the crown prince's life had a way of making one insanely overprotective.

Noctis slowly half-way opened one eye and stared at his friend's pleading face. "What's wrong?" he muttered.

"I'm cold, the floor's hard, and Gladio's snores might have caused a zombie swarm. I'm going to be dead tired tomorrow." Prompto stopped short of begging to crawl under the covers with Noctis; he had some dignity.

"Just push Gladio a bit. When he switches to his side, the snoring will stop. And scoot closer to him; his body is like a freaking heater. You should stay warm that way."

Despite the sensible suggestions, Prompto refused to budge. Instead he stared at Noctis's disheveled hair pointing in various directions. Sensing Prompto's presence, Noctis's eyes fluttered open so that Prompto's sky blue eyes stared into Noctis's steel blue pair, which seemed to glow even in the dark. Prompto pushed out his bottom lip while his eyes softened like a puppy dog begging for attention. To hell with dignity.

Sighing, Noctis shifted his body over to one side and flipped up the blanket. The bed barely accommodated the two slim men. Prompto buried his freezing nose into Noctis's neck, earning him an annoyed groan but soon relaxed. Prompto wrapped his arms around Noctis, resting his hands against the middle of Noctis's back. Why Gladio gave Noctis so much shit about having a scrawny body was beyond Prompto. While built lean and long, Prompto felt the grooves of well chiseled lats. Strong biceps pulled Prompto against firm pecs. Noctis's right arm fit perfectly under the groove of Prompto's neck, giving him plenty of support. Heat rolled off of Noctis's body, instantly thawing Prompto's soul, yet he still shoved his hands under Noctis's shirt, which again induced a soft hiss of displeasure at being invaded by the icy appendages.

"So what is this really about?" Noctis groggily murmured. The only reason Prompto heard him at all was thanks to their close proximity. "Gladio would have made a perfect bedtime buddy. I can vouch on his behalf."

"But," Prompto began but then withdrew as if a turtle trying to hide in its shell. "He's a bit of jerk. He picks on me a lot…"

"He picks on everyone. You've seen how he mercilessly taunts me."

"Yeah but you grew up with him. I barely know the guy."

"You're being stupid. You've known him for five years."

"Only in passing. I saw him occasionally and each time it was to summon you to the Citadel. Not to hang out or anything. He so big and intimidating. I was never comfortable around him. I still get paranoid with him sitting directly behind me in the car. You know how easy it would be for him to get me in a choke hold and break my neck?"

Noctis rolled his eyes though in their current position with Prompto's head directly under his chin there was no way for Prompto to perceive his reaction. Instead Noctis ran his hand in small circles along the bottom of Prompto's back, just above his pelvis. Perhaps Noctis was making light of the issue. It has only been a few short weeks on the road – not nearly enough time for Prompto to truly develop a comfort level with either Gladio or Ignis. After all, even after a year friendship, Prompto even used to pull out of Noctis's embrace.

\- Four Years Prior -

Despite the high intensity action of the movie, Noctis's attention was firmly trained on Prompto. From the corner of his eye, he spied Prompto practically curled up in a ball, pressing himself as much as possible into the corner of the sofa. For two guys sitting on a loveseat, there was too much space between them. Prompto's gaze seemed even more distant as he seemed to be peering past the television. How could someone look so dismal lounging around during winter holiday break? The tension was more than Noctis could tolerate. Grabbing the remote he paused the movie and shifted his body ninety degrees to face his friend. Prompto met his stare with his brows knitted together in confusion.

"What's going on?" Noctis demanded. Perhaps too harshly if Prompto's flinching was any indication. _Maybe Specs was right about needing to work on my tone._

"It's nothing," Prompto brushed Noctis off but the falter in his voice betrayed his words.

Noctis crossed his arms stubbornly – his signal that he was putting his foot down. Tilting his head back, Prompto stared at the ceiling. The last thing he needed was a pity fest from his royal best friend. Prompto turned to read the clock on the wall – quarter to ten.

"They're not even the slightest bit worried," he muttered.

Noctis tilted his head slightly as he attempted to decode the cryptic remark. Quiet once again descended as Prompto made no attempt to elaborate. Awkward silence was not his friend as Noctis often struggled to find the right words. Diplomacy is going to be his worst enemy when he becomes king. Luckily for him, Prompto turned his head and proceeded to fill in the blanks for him.

"My parents ought to be home by now. Probably have been for a while. I didn't leave a note or text to notify them where I was. They would have arrived to an empty house, and they haven't bothered to try to call me."

Noctis mulled over Prompto's observation. Having people constantly standing over his shoulder, Noctis routinely wiggled his way out of the suffocation to find his own solitary refuge. Not having his father, or his attendants, constantly checking in on him was a breath of fresh air. Yet the reverse had his friend on edge.

Seeing the confusion on Noctis's face, Prompto continued, "It's just that I sometimes I feel like they don't even notice me. Like I don't really exist anymore. I get that they have demanding lives. Working multiple jobs just to make ends meet keeps them away a lot. But it seems like the older I get, the less present they are."

Prompto paused briefly as he reflected over the changes he mentioned. How his parents were growing into more like ghosts in his memories.

"My mom used to at least cook meals and left them in the fridge for me. Reheated food is not as great as fresh home cooking but at least she felt closer that way. For my birthday, they used to leave a little wrapped up gift for me but this year I didn't even get a card."

Noctis winced as he scrambled to remember when Prompto's birthday was. Was he really that shitty of a friend that he didn't know when to buy him a present?

"Sometimes I just wonder if I disappeared, ran away or something, if they would even notice."

The knife not only struck him deep into his heart, but agonizingly twisted around and around. Noctis just couldn't fathom how such parents would stop giving a damn about their own child. Sliding over, closing the gap between them, Noctis wrapped his arms around Prompto only to have the boy slither out of his grasp, landing on the floor with a thud in the process.

"Uh," Prompto raced to find his words as his face heated up. Pink began staining his face. "Um, Noct…wow…I, uh…I'm flattered and all. Honestly I didn't know you swung that way. But seriously, a pity fuck is pretty uncool."

"Whaaat?" Noctis's voice trailed off as his brain raced to catch up in processing what just happened. "What?! No! That's not what…that wasn't what I was trying to do. I was just trying to comfort you…because you looked sad…just wanted to show you someone did care!"

Prompto's face faltered, disbelief settled into his features. "Who the hell starts cuddling if they're not looking for sex?!"

"Normal people, you dumbass!"

Noctis suddenly wished he could take back his words when Prompto's face fell, hurt by the insult. Was the boy so deprived that even human touch was alien to him. Scooting himself to the floor, Noctis softened his features as well as his voice.

"When I used to feel down, being that I was sad or got hurt, my dad would pull me into his lap and rubbed my back while hugging me. When he wasn't around, Ignis used to do the same thing. It didn't matter how much I cried; they wouldn't let me go until I signaled that I was feeling better. It's reassuring to know someone is there for you…with no strings attached."

Genuine confusion filled shifty eyes. Prompto wrung his hands together uncertain of what to do next.

"Look, I won't force it onto you but it you ever need a hug, I'll always be there for you. Promise."

The warm smile must have hooked Prompto, like a fish catching the bait. While hesitant, Prompto slowly inched himself closer until he sat next to Noctis and waited. Carefully watching his reactions, Noctis embraced his friend. Prompto's muscles tensed but stayed put, allowing Noctis to pull him in closer so that his ear rested above Noctis's heart. The steady thumping was hypnotic, and the trance began pulling his eyelids shut. The minutes passed quietly as Noctis began running his fingers through Prompto's golden locks. Noctis was convinced Prompto had fallen asleep until a hushed voice broke the calm.

"Thank you."

"Anytime," he responded.

\- Present -

True to his word Noctis could never turn Prompto away. Especially now that Prompto was beyond the walls of Insomnia for the first time in his life. The uncharted territory was a terrifying terrain of unknowns: strangers, crossroads to different destinations, wild animals, and who knows what else, all the while with war constantly looming over them. Noctis felt it too – a mixture of excitement and terror of not knowing what's around the corner. Honestly, he needed a hug as much as the man now fast asleep in his arms. Repositioning his head deeper into his pillow, Noctis soon found himself drifting off as if his spirit was leaving his body. All the while a sleepy crownsgaurd had stirred in time to catch Prompto infiltrate the prince's bedsheets though he feared it was best to confront the manner in the morning when there was not the potential to awaken slumbering neighbors.


	2. Embracing Comfort

Never had he met such a touchy-feely person as this blonde boy. There was a time that such lax in formalities with royalty earned a death penalty. Of course that was unless one was a concubine. Perhaps there was more to Noctis's relationship with Prompto than he fully understood. Was that why he insisted on bringing this low society outsider to be a member of the royal retinue? To salvage final moments before Noctis sealed the deal with Lady Lunafreya?

Gladio leaned sideways against the pole of the motel's porch as he watched the younger men load of the car. Every so often they chuckled at a joke. At one point Noctis elbowed Prompto playfully after having his hair mussed. Then Prompto caught Gladio's hard glare; his smile instantly faded while his body grew rigid. Was he really that intimidating to the boy? Maybe having his arms crossed made his large muscles appear even more buff. Though not once could he recall ever seeing Prompto relaxed around his presence. In fact he always acted as if he was caught red-handed committing a crime.

"Morning!" Ignis greeted, chipper after a good night's rest.

"Hey," Gladio replied rather absentmindedly.

Ignis paused and cocked his head sideways to study Gladio's face, searching for traces of bloodshot eyes and dark, saggy bags. Gladio snapped a puzzled look at the self-professed caregiver.

"Did you not sleep well? I do recall you mentioning that you have camped without a sleeping bag – a just thin tent floor separating you from rocks. Surely the floor could not have been any less unforgiving."

"I slept fine," he blurted out but flinched at the perceived rudeness in his voice. Normally Gladio would have blamed it on his deep voice, but even he recognized that he was curter than normal.

"So what has your mind so preoccupied?"

Gladio gestured his chin up slightly, pointing toward Prompto. "What exactly do you know about him?"

Ignis stared at him a bit as if trying to decode a secret message. "Gladio, it's not like you've never me the boy."

"Eh," Gladio grunted back. "Never really had the opportunity to drill him. Saw him more in passing when he happened to be hanging out with Noct. No deep conversations. If anything, you probably had way more meaningful interactions with him than I have."

"What is all of this ridiculousness about, Gladio?" Ignis kept his voice soft but casual as to not draw attention to themselves. No need to alarm Noctis unnecessarily.

Gladio scratched his beard, debating on how to proceed.

"Something happened last night…," Gladio hesitated but seeing a concerned scowl on Ignis's face, he quickly added, "Nothing to be worried over…or maybe it is…I dunno."

"Out with it already, Gladio."

Rarely did Ignis lose his patience, and one should not mistaken his calm disposition for a higher tolerance for bullshit. Ignis was a master at masking the intensity of his emotions.

"I caught Prompto sneaking into bed with Noctis last night. They weren't being intimate…well at least not sexually. I just wanted to know if you knew what their relationship status is. Curiosity is all?"

"Well, if what you witnessed was not sexual, what did you observe?"

Gladio squinted his eyes, unsure where Ignis was taking the conversation but obliged with a response, "It was dark and couldn't really move to get a good view, not without drawing attention to myself at least. Anyway, they were whispering and then snuggled and fell asleep soon afterwards."

Ignis chuckled and shook his head at his friend. Suddenly feeling self-conscience, Gladio quickly added in, "I'm not trying to be homophobic or anything. I just pity them if they're really lovers…"

Ignis raised his hand to stop Gladio as much as trying to calm himself from bursting into hysterical laughing fits.

"No need to worry yourself over a fictitious lovers' tragedy. They just enjoy cuddling. Nothing more."

Gladio scrunched his face as if it took every muscle to process the information. "I don't understand," he confessed. "What grown men snuggle without any more pretenses behind it?"

"For starters, I do."

His tone indicated he was not offended by Gladio's statement nor ashamed to announce it. That did not prevent the shocked look from his friend whom he had known since childhood. While true they had shared beds and embraced each other in their childhood, all of that ended by the age of ten, or so he had thought.

"Oh come now, Gladio. It is possible to be intimate on a platonic level as well as without looking to gain favors out of the gesture."

"When in your grown ass life did you platonically cuddle with another man?"

A confident smirk flashed as he recalled, "The last time I enjoyed a good cuddle was with two men. Though I will admit it did come at a price."

A small chuckle escaped his lips as Gladio gasped in disbelief but then proceeded to recount his tale.

\- Three Years Prior -

" _Ignis, pleeeaaase! I need you to come over. I feel like I'm dy-ing!"_

 _Ignis frowned at the dramatics. He sighed as he spied the clock on the nightstand._

" _Honestly, Noctis, I do not have time for this. I have a meeting with your father to prepare for. I am leading the presentation tomorrow. Surely it's not beyond your capabilities to warm up some soup, take some cold remedies, and get extra sleep."_

 _A groan cut through the receiver followed by what sounded like a deep gulp._

" _I've been hurling since like two a.m. I really need you here…and you can't tell me dad about me not feeling well."_

 _And there's the bait. Anything that could be perceived as consequential matters never failed to sink their talons into the young man's conscience. Barely an adult himself yet somehow managed to land a part time job as surrogate parent._

" _Fine," Ignis conceded. "I'll be there in half an hour."_

True to his words, thirty minutes later he stood in front of Noctis's apartment door. With a bag of healthcare supplies, Ignis unlocked the door and welcomed himself in. He sat the bag onto the kitchen counter, shaking his head at the mess in the living room that included pizza boxes, video game controllers, and other random debris. No surprise there. Unless handheld, the prince never raised a finger to clean up after himself. But then, one particular piece of litter did catch his eye. Walking over the coffee table, he bent down and picked up a crushed aluminum can. Searching the perimeter, Ignis found several such cans strewn about – on the couch, on the table…one can on the coffee table still had half a beer.

Sighing, Ignis marched over to Noctis's room, rapping it lightly before allowing himself in. On the bed, Noctis laid on his side, curled up in fetal position. One hand firmly secured a pillow over his head. The curtains were drawn shut with only a small sliver of light entering due to the gap where the curtains did not quite overlap. Next to him, a large lump hid under the comforter. Instead of sitting on the bed, Ignis pulled up a chair to the bedside.

"Noct?" he whispered while lightly rubbing his arm.

"Hm?" he whimpered back.

Taking great care not to aggravate the teenager, Ignis slowly removed the pillow and looked into Noctis's pale face. The pouty lips displayed his displeasure however he was too weak to put up a fight for having his shield taken away from him. Sneaking a peak, Noctis sighed at Ignis's disapproving frown.

"So whose brilliant idea was this?"

A hand snaked out from under the covers and pointed to Noctis. It definitely did not take long for the best friend to rat out the prince.

"Yeah but you were the one who bought it with the fake ID card," Noctis retorted.

"Shhh!" Prompto shot back. The lump shifted positions, which Ignis also assumed was in a ball, with knees secured close to his chest. "My head is going to explode! Oh God! Hold up!"

The lump popped out of the covers, and Prompto raced to the bathroom. Not bothering to shut the door, the lurching sound echoed back to the bedroom followed by extended rounds of splashing as liquid hit liquid in the toilet bowl. Ignis crossed his arms and watched Noctis's face contort in disgust at the sound before turning green as his own nausea began bubbling back up. The two sat in silence until Prompto returned to the room and flopped back onto the bed.

"This is it, isn't it? This is how we will meet our maker!"

"It is just a hangover. No need for theatrics, Prompto. Exactly how much did you both have to drink?"

The universal sound for "I don't know" replied simultaneously. At this point, Ignis was unsure what he was more irritated with – their irresponsibility or the fact that he was preoccupied by this nonsense when he had other responsibilities that required his attention. Standing up, Ignis picked up a pen and a piece of paper and began scribbling.

"What're you doing?" Noctis mumbled, wincing as every word pounded a hammer against his brain.

"Instructions," Ignis replied curtly. "These should help alleviate the headaches and reduce the nausea."

"No! Don't leave us!"

Prompto absolutely had no volume control, earning him a deadly growl from his bedmate.

"Unlike the two of you, I have an actual job to prepare for. I cannot arrive at the Citadel tomorrow without properly rehearsing the report I will be giving the king."

Noctis reached out and grabbed Ignis's hand though it felt more like holding a dead fish – limp and clammy.

"Please stay," Noctis softly pleaded. "Just until we stop vomiting at least."

The pouts melted his heart. How Noctis always got his way was beyond Ignis's comprehension? Just like every other time he took the fall for the younger's mischievous behavior from sneaking out to random broken objects throughout the palace, having been collateral damage due to errantly thrown balls.

"Fine, but at least allow me to bring you some water."

Noctis agreed, which rewarded him and Prompto with glasses of water and aspirin for the headaches. Ignis was about to return the serving tray to the kitchen when Prompto piped up.

"Please stay."

"I already assured you I wasn't leaving. I'm just putting this away," he stated, signaling to the tray in his hands.

"That's not what he meant," Noctis interjected as he pulled the covers back, revealing a gap just big enough for him to sit in. "Please? It'll be like the old days."

There it was again – the watery, puppy dog eyes and begging intensified by a curled lip. Knowing he could not deny Noctis any measure of comfort, Ignis placed the tray on the desk where Noctis typically finished his homework. Starting at the foot of the bed, Ignis slowly crawled between the teenagers. Once his back was nestled against the large feather pillows, he was tackled from both sides as Noctis and Prompto wrapped their arms around Ignis's torso and pressed their heads against each of his shoulder. Tilting his head up, Ignis did his best to escape the stench of stale alcohol and vomit. Otherwise he remained still as he tenderly rubbed their backs until the boys fell asleep…or perhaps he fell asleep first; he really couldn't be sure.

\- Present -

"All I know is that I awoke to a fresh coating of vomit all over my chest."

Gladio bit his tongue, unable to decide which was more amusing – the picture of all three men in bed together or Noctis and Prompto hurling all over Ignis. None of them truly appreciated all the shitty antics Ignis routinely tolerated from them.

"What's the hold up? Are we leaving or what?" Noctis's voice interrupted them.

"Coming," Gladio yelled back.

Huffing, Gladio began descending the stairs but stopped when a gloved hand grabbed him by the shoulder. Ignis leaned in and whispered, "Perhaps one day you will be lucky enough to experience the joys of brotherly cuddles."

Gladio watched Ignis's back as he hurried his pace so he can reach the driver's seat before Prompto had the bright idea of planting his butt behind the wheel. Gladio rolled his eyes at Ignis's banter.

 _Too bad I'm not the cutesy, sentimental touching type._


	3. Dolorem Amplexus

When did simple palettes of pink and purple seemingly airbrushed across the evening sky transform Eos into a magical world where unicorns should graze in the fields and fairies sprint through the air spreading mischief along the way? Gladio never realized how he had taken simple pleasures for granted, not until the days were stolen from them - thrust into eternal darkness for a whole decade. He continued to watch the sun descend over the rolling hills though for once his heart did not flutter anxiously at the prospect of being ambushed by daemons in his sleep. That alone should have comforted him yet he was left numb both in his mind and in his soul. The trip back to Hammerhead should not have taken two days (three if they decided to procrastinate any longer) but the return was too soon for them to handle. While it was not fair to their family and friends to speculate whether they had fallen in battle, it was also too soon to report the fate of their beloved king.

Tears slowly filled his eyes as the images of the final battle flashed through his mind. What started with two Iron Giants rapidly escalated into a barrage of daemons. When one was cut down two seemed to fill its place. The three friends were quickly surrounded with no escape in sight until the skies seemed to part and the first rays of dawn penetrated through. The daemons dematerialized into dust like you see in vampire movies. There was a moment of pause as if trying to decipher if they were indeed alive or if they had crossed into the world beyond. Collectively they realized that they still stood on the steps of the Citadel. Then, all three swiftly ran up the stairs and raced through the palace until they reached the throne room. Shock froze Gladio in place as he absorbed the scene of Noctis slumped over the throne, only held up because of his his sword impaling his body. Disbelief took hold of him at the surreal scene; reality only set in once Prompto began describing the vivid details to Ignis. Carrying his body to the gardens, the trio held a private memorial service after burying his body.

Lowering his gaze, Gladio spotted the blood smear that had now dried. However, he refused to take the shirt off even though he had discarded his Kingsglaive jacket. The tight fit was confining and felt as if it was smothering him. Even if he did not shed that layer, there is little the jacket could have done to warm the ice pick stabbing his heart. When was the last time Gladio felt such a void from which he could not find solace?

\- Ten Years Prior -

Never before had Gladio ever felt motion sick but the windy pathway through the mountainous terrain tossed his stomach around to the point he actually decided to skip dinner. His head pounded both from not eating properly and stress. Oh the stress! They had left a beautiful, thriving city in ruins. His childhood friend paid a heavy price for their service. One of the most selfless women in the world lost her life. And what does his royal pain in the ass do? Mope like a fucking baby. During the hike to the tomb Noctis tried to reassure him that he had his priorities straight and that he understood what was expected of him, but Gladio wasn't so sure. Noctis still kept a wall up and any attempt at a conversation just ended with curt one or two word answers and a shit ton load of attitude. He gave up for the night and secluded himself to their assigned lodgings for the trip.

The bed was less than accommodating for such a large man but he made do the best he could as he kept his knees bent to prevent his legs from daggling over the edge. Forcing his eyes shut, Gladio just repeated a mantra over and over hoping to eventually bore himself to sleep. Even when the door slid open, Gladio opted to ignore whoever entered, not moving an inch out of position.

"You awake, Gladio?"

Prompto's voice was not the usually happy-go-lucky tone. Even though he couldn't see him, Gladio could feel Prompto lingering over his face. Despite trying to hold his breath, Gladio felt soft, hesitant exhales blow over his face. Perhaps if he kept up his charade a bit longer, Prompto would just give up and leave. However, the lack of footsteps told him otherwise.

"I know you're awake."

This time his voice was coated with resolve. Maybe the twitching around his eyes gave him away. Sighing in defeat, Gladio slowly parted his eyelide and instantly was confronted by a pair of light blues.

"What?" he demanded with his arms firmly crossed across his chest.

Normally his gruffness chased the boy away but for some reason his determination was made of steel that night, and thus Prompto refused to budge. Instead he attempted to squish himself into the tiny space of mattress next to Gladio's legs, effectively blocking the bigger man's path. That is of course if Gladio didn't have half a mind to knock twig of a man out of the way.

"You…uh…been really tense lately."

 _No shit, Sherlock._

Gladio rolled his eyes. He wished he could turn his back to Prompto, but the lack of room confined him to his back.

"It's just," Prompto continued, not seemingly registering Gladio's annoyance, "you should cut Noct some slack. He's been through hella lot of stuff lately. He's lost so much."

Gladio launched himself to sitting position only to smack his head against the top bunk bed. Grabbing his head, he flopped back against the pillow. A low growl rumbled in his throat. Wide eyed, Prompto was about to inquire his friend's well-being but quickly shut his mouth when the bigger man glared daggers at him.

"We all have been through a lot, Prompto! It's not just him! He's not the only one who lost everything! We all did! We all had families and a home in Insomnia! All of that was stolen from us! However, he was the only one who was allowed to mourn about it!"

Prompto casted a sheepish gaze to his hands, picking nervously at his nails. He bit his lip, reflecting on the aftermath of Insomnia's fall, realizing that they may never be able to go back. Turning his head slightly, Prompto watched as tears glistened in Gladio's eyes. His face softened as he tried to recount whether he ever saw the macho man shed a tear. In fact, he couldn't recall Gladio crying when they first heard the news about the attack and that his father had been murdered. Opening his mouth, Prompto hesitated on whether he should vocalize his thoughts.

"Well…why haven't you?"

"What?" Gladio grumbled as if only half listening.

"Mourn? What haven't you mourn?"

A deep sigh flared his nostrils. His eyes shifted rapidly as if looking for the answer.

"We have a job to do. We all do. There hasn't been enough time to stop and reflect, to dwell on the past. We have to keep our eyes on the future before we lose that as well."

"So bottling up our sorrow was the better course of action? Letting it build up and becoming a ticking time-bomb of emotions?" Prompto challenged. Gladio finally turned his head to meet Prompto's misty-eyed stare. "All of those nights we camped or stayed at a hotel you could have chosen to have a private moment. Seclude yourself somewhere and memorialize your parents. I get that it seems like life has been speeding past us without a moment to spare but it's alright to let us know if you need a little bit of time to yourself. Just like when you chose to leave and complete the trials of Gilgamesh. That was something that you needed to do for yourself."

Gladio lightly shook his head as if Prompto just didn't understand. Prompto's heart dropped as he scrambled to find the right words that would ease his mind. Then as his brain admitted defeat, Prompto did the only thing he knew that always worked for him. Crawling into the smallest gap left on the bed, Prompto wrapped his arms and legs around the thick, muscular body. Squeezing as tight as he could, Prompto felt Gladio's muscles tense at the sudden action as if he wasn't used to being held. Prompto had to admit however that he wasn't sure what his relationship was like with his parents. He knew they were close and loving but perhaps the affection didn't extend to a physical level. Regardless Prompto refused to let the Gladio's rigid body go even if he insisted on keeping his shield up. Prompto nestled his nose into the crook of Gladio's neck. Soft, rhythmic breaths brushed over Gladio's skin.

For several minutes the men stayed in the awkward position. After a while Prompto decided he had done all that he could to comfort Gladio. The man kept his guard up and honestly Prompto couldn't tell if had done any good at soothing his friend. Silently, Prompto began withdrawing his arms but then a strong grip grasped his wrist and pulled his arm back across Gladio's scarred chest. Prompto didn't bother to question him; there was no need to. Instead he studied the tears that silently streamed down his face, wetting his hair as they fell. Gladio's muscles finally relaxed so that he no longer felt like a log but rather a large teddy bear. And thus they remained still on the tiny bed, sleeping serenely through the night in each other's arms.

\- Present -

Chugging the last of his drink, Gladio stood up and tossed the can into the trash. He turned one last time to watch the sun disappear along the horizon. Stars rapidly dotted the sky, twinkling peacefully upon the sleepy inhabitants of Eos. Noctis was now amongst those very stars, watching over them all. A morose sigh slowly passed between Gladio's lips as he turned toward the tent. Unzipping the front flap, he pulled the cover away and found Prompto sobbing in Ignis's arms. Neither men moved at Gladio's disturbance. Instead Prompto kept his face buried deep into Ignis's chest. The older man lovingly caressed Prompto's hair, not giving two fucks that his shirt was probably soaked by now. Ignis turned his head slightly toward Gladio's direction, silently acknowledging his presence. Even though Ignis had removed his shades, Gladio saw no tears pooling in his eyes though perhaps his injuries resulted in damaged tear ducts. His deep frown did fully display his grief. Yet true to his nature, Ignis put comforting others before himself.

No longer able to contain the tears, Gladio blinked them free. Salty trails fell over his cheeks, moistening his beard on their path to his jawline. Ducking into the tent, Gladio crawled over the men and wrapped his arms around them, pulling them both into a tight hug. As Ignis rested his cheek on top of Prompto's head, Gladio put his forehead against the back of Ignis's neck. A warmth washed over all of them as they cherished each other's company. And while they were not able to pull Noctis into their group hug they all felt his presence lovingly envelop the trio, consoling their broken hearts.


End file.
